xenides

Presented by Black Swan State Theatre Company Studio Underground, State Theatre Centre of WA, 2018

Xenides is a top dollar musical that peers behind the glitz, the glamour and the fabulous prizes of Australia’s favourite game show, Wheel of Fortune.

It’s time to take another spin and revisit Adriana Xenides, the darling of ‘TV Week’ and glossy magazines, who made a visit into almost every lounge room across Australia. She wore 4000 dresses, turned 200,000 vowels, traversed 500km in killer heels and always beamed that million-dollar smile. Adriana won our hearts, and after 19 years, won a place in The Guinness Book of World Records for being the longest serving gameshow hostess. Xenides gives voice to the woman we all knew but who was largely misunderstood and misrepresented. Her story is operatic in scale: rags to riches, the migrant’s journey, the fairytale princess and the tragic icon, who died far too young.

This new work by Clare Watson and her team of talented collaborators features a wonderful mash-up of ‘80s songs, from TV theme tunes to Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart”, alongside an original composition by electronic power-pop group, The Twoks. An energetic Australian musical exposé that is both hilarious and tender, a tribute and a protest.

Duration: 70 minutes

CAST

Adriane Daff

Harriet Marshall 

Laila Bano Rind

Katherine Tonkin

CREATIVES

Director: Clare Watson

Musical Director & Composer: Xani Kolac

Musicians: Djuna Lee, Holly Norman

Set Designer: Zoe Atkinson

Costume Designer: Sarah Duyvestyn

Choreographer: Laura Boynes

Lighting Designer: Richard Vabre 

Lighting Design Associate: Chloe Ogilvie

Assistant Director: Katt Osborne